Jermuk: a resort or a mining town?

Interactive city budget

The construction works at Amulsar gold mining site located only 12 km far from Jermuk, one of Armenia's most renowned resorts, turn the town's development into a vague perspective. In Soviet times Jermuk was one of the top resort destinations of the country.

Residents of Jermuk believe mining potential is prioritized over the perspectives of the town's tourism industry, although the latter promises more job openings, revenues, and economic sustainability.

The construction works at Amulsar gold mining site located only 12 km far from Jermuk, one of Armenia's most renowned resorts, turn the town's development into a vague perspective. For the time being, the works at the site have been suspended giving way to the long-lasting stand and pressure by local communities.

Residents of Jermuk and the owners of local hotels say the construction at the site has already downgraded the number of tourists visiting the town; the locals believe the exploitation of the mine and the contamination of the terrain, which may eventually follow once the mining begins, will fade away the perspectives of both the tourism industry and the town's development, in general.

With much sense of pride Gayane recalls the Soviet times, when Jermuk was a revered international resort; she believes the town has the potential to compete with the best European resorts. She underlines tourist industry in Jermuk started reviving in 2010s: the life in the town had changed following the 1988 earthquake when people from the disaster zone were temporarily homed in Jermuk; further, they were joined by internally displaced population.

Owner of "Olympia" on the balcony of the hotel's new building with a view to the Amulsar mining site.By Gayane Mirzoyan

"There cannot be a resort next to a mining site; Jermuk will either remain a resort, or it will turn into a mining town. There are no alternatives," Gayane Hovhannisyan, head physician and owner of 'Olympia' resort hotel, says.

"We are developing now. 60 to 80 percent of those staying at our hotel are Russians. The town's potential is huge: it is rich in mineral water springs, and in natural landmarks. We are currently in the process of constructing a new building; we've made some investments, and hope to open one hundred new jobs when the new building is ready. The facilities in the old building employ some 80 people. But the mine is next door: you can see the site from the balconies of the new building. Will people be willing to come to Jermuk to see it?!" says Gayane.

She describes the town was covered in dust, because of the staged explosions, which were performed as part of preparations for the exploitation of the mine.

"You can imagine the dust that covered the cars; now imagine what will be here when the works at the mine begin!" Gayane says.

Hayk Harutyunyan is the director of 'Armenia' Wellness & Spa Hotel, which is believed to be the town's unofficial symbol. Hayk says within the last year much resource is steered at marketing and public relations in an effort to minimize the negative impact the mining issue has had on its reputation over the global network.

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In Soviet times Jermuk was one of the top resort destinations of the country.

By Anahit Minasyan

Tourism professionals working in Jermuk say even today the town has the potential to compete with the best European resorts.

By Gayane Mirzoyan

Following Armenia’s independence in 1990s, tourism industry in Jermuk started reviving in 2000s, the life in the town had changed following the 1988 earthquake when people from the disaster zone and, later, the refugees from the Karabakh conflict zone, were temporarily homed in Jermuk.

By Gayane Mirzoyan

There are six spas and eight hotels currently operating on the territory of Jermuk.

By Gayane MNirzoyan

Most of the visitors to Jermuk are Russian citizens.

By Gayane MIrzoyan

Tourism also lets the locals to start small businesses of their own.

By Anahit Minasyan

Residents of Jermuk believe mining potential is prioritized over the perspectives of the town’s tourism industry.

By Gayane Mirzoyan

Gallery of mineral water springs in Jermuk. Architect Gevorg Tamanyan

By Gayane Mirzoyan

"The noise surrounding the issue is enough to have negative impact. We see the consequences in practice. People used to ask about price, food, or water; the first question now is about the negative impact the mining may have. And most of those people asking about the mine are potential clients from Russia and Europe. The problem has reached a global scale," says the director of the resort.

He says once the mining begins Jermuk as a resort will cease to exist and will gain a reputation of a mining site, causing irreversible damage to tourism industry for tourism is a sensitive matter and responds to changes very quickly.

"People will doubt if it is worthy travelling to Jermuk, spend money, drink water, let alone take treatments, once they learn about the mine. Even if water and air are spared and do not get contaminated, the very existence of a mining site next door may cause harm to the town," says Harutyunyan.

He says despite the stabilization of the political situation in the country following the revolution, potential investments in Jermuk will depend on the decision over the mine.

"The years' efforts made by the owners of the hotels and spas, of people, who have helped the town become what it is today, all that is being made null and void in just a split of a second," Harutyunyan says.

Hayk Harutyunyan, manager at'Armenia' resort says Jermuk will stop being a resort town the day the mine is operated.

By Gayane Mirzoyan

"People will doubt if it is worthy travelling to Jermuk, spend money, drink water, let alone take treatments, once they learn about the mine. Even if water and air are spared and do not get contaminated, the very existence of a mining site next door may cause harm to the town," says Harutyunyan.

He says despite the stabilization of the political situation in the country following the revolution, potential investments in Jermuk will depend on the decision over the mine.

"The years' efforts made by the owners of the hotels and spas, of people, who have helped the town become what it is today, all that is being made null and void in just a split of a second," Harutyunyan says.

In July 2018, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan met with the environmentalists and the management of the company and suggested that the operator of the mine suspends its works for two additional months, while the new government holds an examination of the project to evaluate the potential risks pointed by the project opponents.

The leadership of the company declined the proposal indicating that every single day of the forced inaction is calculated to cause financial damage to the company. It's been now months since the meeting. Vice Prime Minister Tigram Avinyan says an international group of experts has been involved in the examination, and the government will be able to come up with a decision only after the results of the examination are in.

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Construction works at Amulsar gold mining site have been temporarily suspended following continuous protests and public pressure.

By Anahit Minasyan

Residents of nearby communities block the road to the mining site

By Aghasi Manukyan

The residents watch the ways to the mining site.

By Anahit Minasyan

Samvel Poghosyan, resident of Gndevaz.

By Anahit Minasyan

Residents of the villages say the dust created by the controlled explosions at the mining site covers the nearby fields and hindering the bees from collecting nectar.

By Anahit Minasyan

A furnace set up by the residents of Gndevaz serves both for cooking and burning trash at one of the controls.

By Anahit Minasyan

The road to the mine is on the way to the grazing fields.

By Anahit Minasyan

The anticipated mining activities threaten to reduce the grazing areas for domestic cattle.

By Anahit Minasyan

The issue of the gold-bearing ores in Amulsar has remained unsolved for years. In the recent months dozens of environmental activists, hand in hand with the residents of Jermuk and nearby villages, have kept the roads to the mining site closed, hindering to the operation of 'Lidian Armenia', the company that exploits the mine.

'Lidian Armenia', the company that has been granted the right to exploit the mine, insists the exploitation bears no environmental hazards; however, the residents of the nearby communities alert about the threats of the mine, pointing to the unprecedented amounts of dust caused by the construction works at the site.

"People prefer not to buy herbs gathered on the slopes of our mountains, which adds to the drop in the number of tourists. Beekeepers complain the dust that sets on the flowers doesn't let the bees collect nectar here. We have stood up for our future, for the future of our children. If the mine is operated people will leave the place," Samvel Poghosyan, resident of Gndevaz, says.

According to 'Ecolur' NGO, the task force under the environmental protection and mineral resources inspectorate that was created by the decree of the prime minister of Armenia, has published conclusions on the gold-bearing ore mining program by eight independently acting experts.

The conclusions of the experts refer to the impact of the project on Sevan Lake, water resources, Jermuk mineral resources, wildlife, violations of legislation pertaining to historic and cultural monuments, on sanitary and epidemiological safety of the population, assessment and examination of the project's impact on environment, its legal regulations, as well as the impact on Gndevaz, Gorayq, Kechut, and Saravan rural communities.

Residents of Jermuk community against Amulsar mining

video: Gayane Mirzoyan

Resorts in Jermuk provide workplace for its residents and the nearby communities. Kristine Ivanyan, senior book-keeper at 'Olympia' says spa hotels play life-changer role for the people living here.

"There were fewer people fighting against the mining before the revolution, because people didn't believe their voices might matter. They do now. The locals have been accepted at the mine as laborers, because there are no specialists in mining in Jermuk. Apparently, one spa hotel provides more jobs than the mine. 'Olympia' alone has 80 employees; this means that in average the nine spa hotels in Jermuk must be employing some 700 to 1000 people," says Kristine.

Jermuk, located in the south-east of Armenia, occupies a small plateau, divided by the Arpa River gorge. On the right bank are the spas and hotels, the mineral water gallery, where the visitors enjoy hot spring waters of various temperatures. The chemical composition of the hot mineral water here has much resemblance of water in the Czech Karlovy Vary. On the left bank are the residential districts of the town with the respective infrastructure.

Sergey Ghambaryan, 68, has been living in Jermuk for the last 44 years. His home is on the left side of the gorge, and he and his wife cross the gorge every day to sell medicinal herbs.

Sergey Ghambaryan, resident of Jermuk

video: Gayane Mirzoyan

Sergey says he was employed at a gas-distribution station, and joined his wife only after retiring to help her with the family business. The family earns its living by selling medicinal herbs.

"This is a family business; my son, his wife, and their children, we are all engaged. Collecting and preparing herbs for the market begin early in spring. The herbs are dried on the rooftop of the building we live in. Our fields and mountains are abundant in medicinal herbs. We work from March till November till end of the season, when the number tourists and patients at the resorts drops. Russians enliven the town. Most of our visitors are middle-aged; young people are rare here," Sergey shares his observations, while greeting a client.

Jermuk is most popular among middle-aged to elder people. Young people mostly prefer short visits that last no longer than three days.

Kristine Ivanyan says Jermuk's unattractiveness for young people is a disadvantage: "We hope to keep the health-oriented services in the town, while making Jermuk more attractive for younger visitors. For that we need to envision entertainment facilities. There are many hotels, but there are no infrastructures. Of course, we expect the municipality to handle the issue," Ivanyan assumes.

'Armenia' welcomes 6000 to 7000 visitors annually. In 2017 the resort managed to attract even number of tourists year-round avoiding seasonal ups and downs.

Abandoned Cultural Center of Jermuk

video: Gayane Mirzoyan

Hayk Harutyunyan says the majority of their clients are Russians; there are also visitors from US, and a number of European countries. Armenians make 30 to 40 percents of the visitors.

"The mountainous location of our resort is an advantage, which makes us very attractive for Russians, who prefer altitudes. Our target audiences are elderly people, who make the majority of our clients. Making the resorts more attractive for younger people is a challenge for the whole community not just a couple of spa hotels," he says.

Hayk Harutyunyan believes organization of jazz and rock events in Jermuk would be a good way to attract people; but, of course, government grants are priority, he says.

"Purely commercial approach to these issues will not work here. We need people: everybody prefers spending 30 minutes to get to Tsakhkadzor, rather than travel for two-and-a-half hour to get to Jermuk. This means we have to offer something unique to attract people," Harutyunyan says.

In 2008 the government declared Jermuk a tourism center, but little has been done since then to develop the industry here.

Narek Mirzoyan, the founder of Jermuk Travel, underlines most efforts are directed at building hotels, while the town lacks infrastructure.

Narek Mirzoyan, Founder and Director of Jermuk Travel

video: Gayane Mirzoyan

"People visiting Jermuk have little to do here: they eat, they drink the water, get the treatment; what are they supposed to do after?! We suggest creating entertainment centers, culture hubs, cinemas, anything for active pastime in the town. We've got a small lake over here, which has a potential for organizing a small beach; alternatively, we can simply improve it to make its territory more attractive. Two of the resorts used to have cinema halls. One of them has been turned into a big hall after the renovation of the spa, and the second one is now the hall of 'Gladzor', the largest resort of Armenia, with a capacity to host 500 people. But these resorts function only three months a year, because of heating problems," Narek says.

Narek says the Jermuk Travel portal, which was created in 2017, had all the information about Jermuk, including places to go, to stay, and to eat. Over time the portal grew into a tourism agency; the portal is now available at http://visitjermuk.am.

"We now work at creating an information center and have already had meetings with some of the industry representatives. The documents are ready, and we will soon have a place, probably, next to the water gallery," Mirzoyan says.

It's been six years Jermuk hosts snow sculpture festival, which is basically an attempt to extend the wintertime attractiveness of the town for tourists.

"The number of tourists is high in December and January; that is why the festival is organized in February. This way we try to attract more people and help hotels and spas work longer. Another reason for having the festival is to attract more young visitors," Vazgen Galstyan, chairman of the Jermuk Development Center NGO, says.

"We have a new offer for ice-climbers; we have rock walls, we offer equipment, and we have specially trained instructors. We organize winter cycling championships on skiing trails. It's a real adventure, and people want to try," Galstyan shares.

The 1000-meter-long ropeway built in 2007 is a functional infrastructure that may contribute to the development of winter tourism in Jermuk. Its highest point is on 2,480 meter altitude, with a cafe and a restaurant. The ropeway has two trails – on 1,450 and 1,550 meters, respectively.

"The trails are for amateurs; people from abroad, just like the locals, travel to spend time here. We have winter packages for tourists offered by tour agencies," Narek Mirzoyan says.

And yet, the discussions of tourism development in Jermuk end where the talks of Amulsar and the mine begin, questioning the very existence of the resort town.

"The perspectives for tourism development in Jermuk faded soon after the talks about the mine began. I knew a tourist who used to come to Jermuk every year. He is not visiting us anymore; he leaves reviews on the booking.com warning people of the mine near Jermuk. The negative comments make people prefer other places," Mirzoyan says.